This invention relates to toy vehicles and more particularly to vehicles that can move across a surface and be controlled to propel themselves into the air.
Many types of toy vehicles have been provided with rods or feet that extend outwardly from the chassis of the vehicle and press against the ground to push the chassis away from the ground or other supporting surface. The cars described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,618,219 and 4,490,124, for example, each include a pivoting member on the bottom of the chassis. When activated, the member pivots, striking the supporting surface with a force sufficient to lift the vehicle into the air. The impact results in highly variable tumbling.
One problem with such vehicles, however, is that the feet or rods used to provide the impact are prone to breakage. It would also be desirable to provide a more efficient way to propel a vehicle into the air, preferably one that provides more consistent results than provided with conventional designs.